


A Distant Cry

by clgfanfic



Category: War of the Worlds (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-19
Updated: 2013-02-19
Packaged: 2017-11-29 19:18:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,894
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/690514
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clgfanfic/pseuds/clgfanfic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A missing scene from the episode "Vengeance is Mine."</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Distant Cry

**Author's Note:**

> Originally published in Green Floating Weirdness #2 under the pen name Gillian Holt.

_"Medic!"_

 

          _Where the hell are they?_ Sergeant Alexander Stravakos worried as he eased up alongside the row of wall lockers.  His eyes rapidly scanned the dimly illuminated room for any signs of the three aliens he and Goodson had been trailing in the basement of the college optical sciences building.

          The two Omegans had found the human-blended Mor'taxans earlier and watched as they packed a series of high quality optical lenses into a well protected briefcase.  Leaving the underground grinding lab with the case, the aliens worked their way through the basement, but the soldiers had lost the threesome in the dark labyrinth-like twists and turns.

          Stravakos felt his skin tingle as he moved out again, Goodson following.  The two soldiers stayed in the shadows, maneuvering past equipment and the innovative paneling arrangements that created cubical spaces, continuing to search for their alien targets.  The young sergeant knew they were headed for a confrontation.  He could feel it.  And he was half a squad short.  The three aliens were well armed.  Stravakos ground his teeth together.  Coleman and the others were still in a mop-up operation from their encounter last night, and over an hour away.  And now he'd lost the freakin' trail of the three they were following.

 _Brilliant, Alex_ , he snapped at himself.  _Absolutely brilliant_.  It looked like it would be up to the colonel and Omega One to stop them.

          Stravakos heard the crackle signaling an incoming transmission on his headset just before Ironhorse's tense voice filtered in as a near growl.  "Red Leader One to Omega One, get those students out of there."

          Stravakos shook his head.  Why the hell did the aliens have to target a college?  They were damned lucky there weren't students all over the place, but at seven in the morning classes hadn't actually started yet – a small factor in the soldier's favor.  He swore silently.  That would leave Ironhorse alone to cover the east plaza entrance, and there were three unfriendlies on the way.

          The radio crackled again.  "How many, over," Ironhorse asked Stravakos over the headset.

          Alex raised the hand-held walkie-talkie.  "Two males, one female, headed your way, over."  Leading Goodson along a narrow hallway, Stravakos tried to locate an exit.  The medic's hand descended on his shoulder, causing the sergeant to jump, but he grinned when the corporal pointed to a red exit sign with the "x" missing.  Stravakos nodded and headed out, hoping they'd be in time to provide Ironhorse with backup.

          The sound of gunfire greeted the Omegans as they stepped out into the bright morning sun.  Light reflecting off the snow-covered grass made it difficult for either of them to see, but Stravakos set the direction and headed out at a run, Goodson on his heels.

          At least Ironhorse's weapon had been the last to fire, Alex thought as he pushed harder.

          "Medic!"

          The pain-filled word was like icy fingers, squeezing Stravakos' chest.  He'd never heard Ironhorse use that tone of voice before.

          Rounding the corner of the optical science building, Stravakos' run ground to a jog as his legs faltered.  Ironhorse was kneeling in the snow, supporting someone's head on his leg.  The officer's head rotated spastically left and right, like he was looking for someone or something that wasn't there.  It was wrong.  The whole set to the colonel's body was wrong.

          "I need a medic!" the colonel cried again.

          Raising the radio, Stravakos keyed the mike.  "We have an emergency here,"  he said without thinking.  "I need an ambulance, now!"

          The two Omegans sprinted the remaining distance to Ironhorse, Goodson dropping into the snow alongside the officer to begin working on the young woman.  Stravakos scanned the area, but there were no signs of the female alien he'd seen earlier.

          "Sir, what happened?  Did you get the third one?" he asked.  "Where'd the civilian come from?"  When Ironhorse made no reply, Stravakos stepped closer, getting his first good look at Ironhorse.  "Sir?"  He gripped the Uzi tighter.  They were sitting ducks out in the open.

          "W-what?" Ironhorse asked, looking up with a dazed expression on his face.

          "The third alien, sir.  Did you get her?" Stravakos asked a second time.

          A flash of raw pain crossed Ironhorse's face, causing Stravakos to physically wince.  "She— she got away.  Sedan…  I— I didn't get the plate…"  The colonel trailed off, his gaze returning to the young woman's face.  "I— I shot her," he whispered.

          Goodson looked up, catching Stravakos' attention.  "She's bad," he said, reaching into the small field kit he carried and pulling out a dressing to cover the worst of the young woman's chest wounds.  "Where's that ambulance?" he asked.  "We gotta get her to a doc ASAP."

          Stravakos shook his head.  "Omega Two, Omega Three.  Where's that ambulance?"

          "On the way," responded Alverez's voice.  "Just passed the west entrance.  ETA three minutes."

          "Roger, Omega Three out," Stravakos said.  "Three minutes," he told the medic.  The two soldier's gaze held for a moment, Goodson rolling his eyes toward Ironhorse and lifting his shoulders slightly.  Stravakos frowned and shrugged his eyebrows.  Neither of them knew what to do for the colonel.

          Catching sight of the approaching vehicle, and the small group of students who had begun to gather on the sidewalk, Stravakos spoke again to Ironhorse.  "The ambulance is here, sir.  And we're getting a crowd.  Should I set a perimeter?"

          Ironhorse didn't respond, continuing to cradle the young woman's face in his hands while Goodson did what he could.

          "Sir, hold this down," Goodson directed, reaching up to take one of Ironhorse's hands, placing it on top of the dressing.  Standing, the medic sprinted to meet the two civilian paramedics who were pulling the gurney from the back of the ambulance.

          "I'll set that perimeter, sir," Alex said, feeling like he was caught in some weird nightmare.  Keying the radio, he called in the rest of the squad, assigning most to keep the small group of students well back from the alien remains until two of the soldiers could get the pools of slime and garments safely into sealed plastic containers.

          Out of the corner of his eye, the sergeant continued to keep a close watch on his commander, but Ironhorse remained as he had been while the civilian paramedics and Goodson worked over the girl.  It was the Omegans' nervous wave that drew Stravakos back over.

          "He won't let go of her," Goodson said softly.

          Stravakos' eyes cut to Ironhorse.  "Shit," he breathed.  "I wish the hell Dr. Blackwood was here.  I've never seen the Colonel like this."  Goodson nodded his agreement on both counts.

Alex took a deep breath and ran a hand over his face.  "Okay, I'll see if I can talk to him."

          Walking over to stand next to Ironhorse, Stravakos let his hand rest tentatively on the officer's shoulder.  The muscles under his touch were corded and trembling and he squeezed a little tighter, wanting to relay the compassion he felt for the man.  "Sir," he said quietly, "they have to move her now."

          The two paramedics stood and took a step back like they expected Ironhorse to come up shooting and Stravakos scowled at them, his grip tightening on Ironhorse's jacket.  "Colonel, she needs help.  We can't do anything else here."

          That seemed to reach Ironhorse.  Stravakos reached down, pulling the colonel's hand off the bloody dressing, the officer's other hand falling limply to his side.  The civilian medics quickly lifted the young woman onto the gurney as Alex helped Ironhorse to his feet, the series of chills passing through the colonel's body making it difficult for him to stand without the sergeant's help.

          Hooking an arm around Ironhorse's shoulders, Stravakos prayed silently the man didn't lay him out in response.

          They trailed after the paramedics, Goodson walking along behind the pair until they reached the ambulance.  The small group of students crowded in, and Stravakos felt Ironhorse flinch, the colonel's hands coming up in front of his body in a defensive gesture.  Stravakos watched as the black eyes fixed on the blood that covered those hands, and he shivered.

          Alex stepped away, trying to move the crowd back, leaving Goodson to tend the colonel.

          "That guy in the uniform shot her, like Kent State, or something," one of the women said, pointing at Ironhorse.

          "Move back," Stravakos commanded.  "Please, move back."  The crowd edged away slightly, allowing the paramedics to get the young woman loaded.

          Turning, Stravakos watched as Goodson maneuvered Ironhorse away from the crowd and over to one of the cars they'd used to reach the campus.  Helping the colonel into the passenger seat, the medic continued speaking to the colonel, but there was no indication on Ironhorse's face that he had heard a word of it.

What the hell was he going to do with Ironhorse, Stravakos wondered.  The man looked like he was in shock.  He jogged over to the car.  "What do you think?" he asked the medic.  "Do we take him in to the hospital, too?"

          Goodson's forehead wrinkled.  "I don't know.  He's a little shocky, but…" the blond trailed off, shaking his head.  "He might chew our asses three ways from Sunday if we do… or if we don't.  This is your call, Sarge."

          "Yeah, I guess it is," Stravakos breathed.  Ironhorse was always in complete control.  It was uncanny to see the man affected by anything.  "Let's just get him back to the Cottage, ASAP.  Dr. Blackwood should know what to do."

          "Report, Sergeant."

          Stravakos felt his body spring to attention before he could register the fact that it was Ironhorse who had spoken.  He pivoted slightly to find the officer standing next to the car, staring at him, the dark eyes intense but unusually closed and lifeless.

          "Sir, the cleanup is almost complete.  The squad is one hundred precent."

          "And the third unfriendly?"

          Stravakos shifted slightly. "Sir, you didn't have a plate or a description of the car—"  He stopped when he saw confusion slip on and off the colonel's face in rapid succession.

          Ironhorse nodded.  "Any other civilian involvement?"

          "No, sir," Stravakos replied quietly.

          The colonel straightened.  "Get the squad loaded up, Sergeant."

          "Yes, sir," Stravakos replied.  "Sir, do you want to go to the hospital—"

          "No.  We'll head directly back to the Cottage."

          "Yes, sir."  With an about face, Alex walked off to make a final check of the remaining Omegans.  When he finished, he returned to the car where Ironhorse was waiting.  "All clear, Colonel," he reported.

          Ironhorse nodded.  "Let's get back."

          "Yes, sir."  Sliding in behind the wheel, he waited for Ironhorse to fasten his seat belt before pulling away from the curb and following the car full of soldiers in front of them.  Only Mathews stayed behind to deal with the campus authorities and the police.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

          The drive back to the Cottage was made in silence, but Stravakos could see the devastated expression that fixed itself on Ironhorse's face as the colonel stared out the windshield, not really seeing the passing scenery.  When Ironhorse's hands grabbed at his midsection, Stravakos slowed.  "Sir?" he questioned.

          "Stop the car," Ironhorse said thickly.

          Alex pulled to the side of the road and waved to the Omegans in the first vehicle so they wouldn't stop.  He didn't think the colonel needed any extra company right now.

          Ironhorse climbed out of the car, managing to get away from the roadside before the dry heaves bent him over.

          Following his commander, Stravakos was unsure what he should do, so he nearly stood by and waited until the man straightened and staggered back toward the car.

          "Sir, are you sure you don't want—"

          "No," Ironhorse snapped.  He stopped at the vehicle, turned and leaned back against the sedan.  Staring down at the blood now dried on his hands, the colonel's body shook.  "I'm sorry, I—"

          "Sir, it wasn't your fault."

          The back eyes rose and locked on Stravakos'.  "The hell it wasn't."

          "But you couldn't have known she wasn't an alien, sir."

          Ironhorse's face softened a little.  "I— I don't know.  I—"

          "Well, I do, sir," Alex said with conviction.  "You've told us often enough it might happen.  There's no neon signs, sir.  They fired on you.  You did the only thing you could.  They must have found her in the building and decided to run a decoy, which means they must have seen me and Goodson, or heard us…" he

trailed off.  "Shit."

          Ironhorse shook his head slowly.  "No, you're right, there's no blame, except with the aliens."

          The lack of conviction in the officer's eyes did nothing to alleviate Stravakos' rising sense of guilt.  Ironhorse was shouldering the blame, but in all likelihood, it wasn't the colonel, but Stravakos himself who had gotten the girl shot.

          He took a deep breath.  No, absolutely not.  He was not going to blame himself for the civilian's involvement.  It was the aliens.  It was a war, and civilians were lost.  It wasn't anyone's fault.

          "Just don't you forget it, sir."

          Ironhorse gave him a wan smile.  "Let's get back," he said simply, climbing back into the car.  The movement was slow and deliberate, and Alex watched with a spreading sense of pain and frustration.  One of the reasons Ironhorse was such a damn good commander was the fact that he cared about his people – even if he did hide it under a layer of bluster and polish.  It made Alex ache to see Ironhorse hurt like that.  Taking a deep breath, he decided to talk to Derriman when they got back to the Cottage.  The two men were close.  Maybe John would know what to do…  Maybe he'd talk to Dr. Blackwood.

          Sliding behind the wheel, Stravakos gave Ironhorse an encouraging smile and pulled back out on the highway.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

          Parking at the Cottage, Stravakos watched Ironhorse escape from the car and head directly for the main house.  Blackwood met him at the front door, the pair speaking briefly before the scientist stepped aside, allowing the colonel to enter.  The scientist followed Ironhorse, closing the door behind him.

          Stravakos allowed himself a heavy sigh before he unfastened the seat belt and climbed out, only to be met by a worried John Derriman.  "Alex, what the hell happened?" the platoon sergeant asked.

          Stravakos shook his head.  Coleman walked up to join the pair.  "Goodson just called in from the hospital.  He said, I quote, 'the civilian didn't make it.'  What happened out there, Alex?"

          "Too late, Norah, I already asked that one," Derriman told her.

          "We found the three aliens at the campus; after the lenses like we expected," Stravakos explained, walking with the pair to the coach house.  They entered and took seats at one of the picnic tables in the large kitchen.  Alverez carried a pot of coffee over and set it down for them, then wandered off.

          "And?" Coleman prompted.

          "And Goodson and I were tailing them in the basement of the optical sciences building… but we lost them."

          Derriman shook his head.  "Not good."

          Stravakos gave the older man a frustrated scowl.  "You _don't_ have to tell me.  _I_ was there."

          Derriman's eyes widened slightly.  "Hey, I didn't mean it that way, kid."

          A blush colored Alex's cheeks.  He took a deep breath and let it out as a long, tired sigh.  "Yeah, I know.  I guess they must have found the girl in the building.  Some kids got into the area, Omega One moved them out, but that left the Colonel alone.  The aliens left, two with the girl.  They fired on the Colonel.  He returned fire."

          "My God," Derriman said, leaning forward to rest his arms on the table top.  "You mean Ironhorse accidently killed an innocent girl?"

          Stravakos nodded.  "I don't know what happened then.  Goodson and I were on the way, but we only heard the shots, didn't see anything.  The third alien must have had transportation waiting we didn't know about because she got off clean."

          "The Colonel didn't get a plate?" Coleman asked.

          "He was shaken up pretty bad," Stravakos said softly.  He shook his head.  "Man, I've _never_ seen him act like that."

"I have," Derriman commented, his voice sounding as far away as the expression on his face.

          "Damn," Alex growled.  "Why couldn't she have made it?"

          "Not in the cards," Derriman said, reaching out to squeeze the younger man's shoulder.  "You okay?"

          Stravakos nodded.  "I guess.  I can't help but wonder if we didn't tip them off.  If they didn't grab the girl because they knew we were there."

          "Hell, Alex," Derriman told him, his fingers clamping down on the younger man's shoulder, "if they had backup for transportation, they could've seen any of you.  Don't you go guiltin' on us here."

          That brought a sheepish smile to Stravakos' lips.  "I know.  I told myself I wasn't going to, but…"

          "What?" Coleman asked.

          "He was hurting, Norah.  I mean _really_ hurting."

          Coleman looked away, but Derriman stood.  "I think I better go have a little talk with Dr. Blackwood."

          Alex pushed himself up, and walked Derriman to the door.  "I thought about doing that, too."

          Derriman nodded.  "Well, I know a few things you don't, so I'll take care of it.  You sit your butt down and start coming up with ways we can make sure it don't happen again."

          "You got it."


End file.
